Eric Cassano has an interesting (to me, anyway) piece up on the home page entitled, "Who are the Cavs?" Here's the part about what style of play he wants to see next year, LeBron or no LeBron:

"The Cavs are, at their heart, a running team.

If the Cavs do end up firing Brown, they need to hire a coach who will nuture this team's true DNA, which was starkly absent in the playoffs when the team played slow, passive basketball.

The Cavs are a running team. They are an offensively-gifted team. It's time to stop pretending that they are anything else. They are not a lockdown defensive team. They are not a grind-it-out halfcourt team. They are an uptempo team that should be focusing on small lineups, increasing possession volume, increasing shot volume and viewing turnovers as a necessary evil -- forgivable as long as you keep pushing the ball and finding open shots.

For much of this season, Brown and Shaq combined to turn the Cavs into a slow-down team. When Shaq injured his thumb and spry youngster J.J. Hickson moved into the starting center spot, the Cavs had their hottest streak of the season.

It's not a coincidence. Over the past two seasons, the Cavs have always been at their best when they trotted out small, fast lineups that could run and score. When you looked up and down the lineup at athletes like LeBron, Hickson, Williams, Delonte West and Anderson Varejao, it was easy to see why. The Cavs' best players have been fast, active players. LeBron is the best fast break player in the league by a wide margin.

But the loss to Orlando in the '09 Eastern Conference Finals occurred, and the Cavs' brass decided the best course of action was to get bigger and stronger. Shaq fits the Cavs' makeup like an army boot fits Cinderella. Anthony Parker was reduced to a spot-up jump shooter, far from the dynamic role he had with the Raptors. Zydrunas Ilgauskas looked out of place as a starter in '09, and completely unfit for the floor as a reserve in the just-completed season.

If the last two seasons teach nothing else, it's that you shouldn't make moves just to match up with one team. A good team like the Cavs has an identity, and that identity is created by the makeup of the team. And the Cavs are a fast break team."

I agree. In fact, if Z and/or Shaq don't return next year, the Cavs will be forced to be a running team unless a big, physical, starting caliber center is acquired, and I don't see how that's possible given their salary cap situation. Maybe if LeBron leaves they'll have the money to bring in a thumper, but I don't see how that makes them better.

Anybody strongly agree or disagree with the notion that the Cavs should concentrate on being a running team?

TBigz wrote:Thats Eric Cassano's opinion. The last time I checked he is not a professional NBA coach.

Wow. Great addition. Thanks for the input.Hey Swerb, lets just shut down this whole website, because none of us are professional coaches, hence, have no right to post our opinions. Pretty much puts all such websites out of business. Shame... I kinda enjoyed interacting with you guys... Though I now have no valid points to make, not being a professional coach, that is.

"The nose of the bulldog has been slanted backwards so that he can breathe without letting go." -- Winston Churchill

TBigz wrote:Thats Eric Cassano's opinion. The last time I checked he is not a professional NBA coach.

Wow. Great addition. Thanks for the input.Hey Swerb, lets just shut down this whole website, because none of us are professional coaches, hence, have no right to post our opinions. Pretty much puts all such websites out of business. Shame... I kinda enjoyed interacting with you guys... Though I now have no valid points to make, not being a professional coach, that is.

Well Id rather hear the opinion of a head coach thats on espn or something or a former player.. Like JVG, Avery, Magic, C. Webb.

TBigz wrote:::doh:: The list I just gave you hasn't said what type of basketball style the Cavs played or should play in the near future. So even if I went to ESPN I wouldn't find that information.

Galley Boys are slop on top of a so-so burger and a bun you coulde get from a Covneninet food mart generic pack. They the Antoine Joubert of burgers; soft, sloppy, oozing grease and cheap sauce and extremely overrated by a biased fan base. Proof that if you throw enough cheap sauce shit on a burger you still can't overcome the lame burger. -JB

TBigz wrote:::doh:: The list I just gave you hasn't said what type of basketball style the Cavs played or should play in the near future. So even if I went to ESPN I wouldn't find that information.

Guy needs to the Schrute shun as well.

Effin' A, WTF is going on here lately? Tools, humps and idiots every single GD thread. It is fertilizer season here on the Northcoast. Think some of these short busers ate it in the hopes they'd get bigger and smarter?

TBigz wrote:::doh:: The list I just gave you hasn't said what type of basketball style the Cavs played or should play in the near future. So even if I went to ESPN I wouldn't find that information.

Guy needs to the Schrute shun as well.

Effin' A, WTF is going on here lately? Tools, humps and idiots every single GD thread. It is fertilizer season here on the Northcoast. Think some of these short busers ate it in the hopes they'd get bigger and smarter?

It's all I got right now.

I know. It's just that time of year. In sports in general. Nothing going on. But it has been bad. I can hardly find more than one thread daily to comment in right now.

TBigz wrote:::doh:: The list I just gave you hasn't said what type of basketball style the Cavs played or should play in the near future. So even if I went to ESPN I wouldn't find that information.

But apparently finding those opinions here isn't good enough because we're not qualified to express said opinions. So I guess you're SOL then.

Either that, or you just disagree with the opinion I stated, and your way of disagreeing with it is to say I'm not qualified to express it.

I'll see your and raise you a

I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

TBigz wrote:::doh:: The list I just gave you hasn't said what type of basketball style the Cavs played or should play in the near future. So even if I went to ESPN I wouldn't find that information.

Guy needs to the Schrute shun as well.

Effin' A, WTF is going on here lately? Tools, humps and idiots every single GD thread. It is fertilizer season here on the Northcoast. Think some of these short busers ate it in the hopes they'd get bigger and smarter?

It's all I got right now.

I know. It's just that time of year. In sports in general. Nothing going on. But it has been bad. I can hardly find more than one thread daily to comment in right now.

TBigz wrote:Exactly, I state the obvious and everyone else goes fucking bonkers.

Galley Boys are slop on top of a so-so burger and a bun you coulde get from a Covneninet food mart generic pack. They the Antoine Joubert of burgers; soft, sloppy, oozing grease and cheap sauce and extremely overrated by a biased fan base. Proof that if you throw enough cheap sauce shit on a burger you still can't overcome the lame burger. -JB

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

You should stick to the NFL forums where you are a expert... you know with that state championship you won in high school and all.

I think today has sucked the life right out of me. Maybe it's time I step away from the computer screen and take a hiatus from the Cavs side of the boards for a while. Maybe after a few weeks I'll find that I'll be able to see better, food will taste better, the flowers will smell nicer.

Galley Boys are slop on top of a so-so burger and a bun you coulde get from a Covneninet food mart generic pack. They the Antoine Joubert of burgers; soft, sloppy, oozing grease and cheap sauce and extremely overrated by a biased fan base. Proof that if you throw enough cheap sauce shit on a burger you still can't overcome the lame burger. -JB

Larvell Blanks wrote:I think today has sucked the life right out of me. Maybe it's time I step away from the computer screen and take a hiatus from the Cavs side of the boards for a while. Maybe after a few weeks I'll find that I'll be able to see better, food will taste better, the flowers will smell nicer.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

There is no "source" of news here.

What you are quoting from is an opinion piece. A view of a writer (one of this site's regular writers). Nothing more, nothing less. If you agree with the opinion, terrific. If you disagree with the opinion, also terrific. That is what opinion pieces are designed to do: get you to think and (possibly) respond. They are fundamentally different from factual stories. It is the difference between the front page and the op-ed page of the newspaper.

The "attitude" problems you reference have nothing to do with you "stating the obvious". The people who are deriding you are doing so because you have thus far proven incapable of making the rather simple distinction between factual pieces and opinion pieces.

If you have a response other than "got it, thanks", don't bother. I cannot make it any simpler than I already have, and won't spend time trying to.

If it flies, floats, or fornicates, always rent it -- it's cheaper in the long run.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

There is no "source" of news here.

What you are quoting from is an opinion piece. A view of a writer (one of this site's regular writers). Nothing more, nothing less. If you agree with the opinion, terrific. If you disagree with the opinion, also terrific. That is what opinion pieces are designed to do: get you to think and (possibly) respond. They are fundamentally different from factual stories. It is the difference between the front page and the op-ed page of the newspaper.

The "attitude" problems you reference have nothing to do with you "stating the obvious". The people who are deriding you are doing so because you have thus far proven incapable of making the rather simple distinction between factual pieces and opinion pieces.

If you have a response other than "got it, thanks", don't bother. I cannot make it any simpler than I already have, and won't spend time trying to.

Make it easier on yourself. Instead of writing something well thought out and reasoned, just respond with a picture of Ralph Wiggum with a flute up his nose. It gets through to the offending poster on the same level, and it's much funnier.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

There is no "source" of news here.

What you are quoting from is an opinion piece. A view of a writer (one of this site's regular writers). Nothing more, nothing less. If you agree with the opinion, terrific. If you disagree with the opinion, also terrific. That is what opinion pieces are designed to do: get you to think and (possibly) respond. They are fundamentally different from factual stories. It is the difference between the front page and the op-ed page of the newspaper.

The "attitude" problems you reference have nothing to do with you "stating the obvious". The people who are deriding you are doing so because you have thus far proven incapable of making the rather simple distinction between factual pieces and opinion pieces.

If you have a response other than "got it, thanks", don't bother. I cannot make it any simpler than I already have, and won't spend time trying to.

I didn't know Eric Cassano is a writer for this website? I just assumed he was some sort of NBA analyst.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

You should stick to the NFL forums where you are a expert... you know with that state championship you won in high school and all.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

There is no "source" of news here.

What you are quoting from is an opinion piece. A view of a writer (one of this site's regular writers). Nothing more, nothing less. If you agree with the opinion, terrific. If you disagree with the opinion, also terrific. That is what opinion pieces are designed to do: get you to think and (possibly) respond. They are fundamentally different from factual stories. It is the difference between the front page and the op-ed page of the newspaper.

The "attitude" problems you reference have nothing to do with you "stating the obvious". The people who are deriding you are doing so because you have thus far proven incapable of making the rather simple distinction between factual pieces and opinion pieces.

If you have a response other than "got it, thanks", don't bother. I cannot make it any simpler than I already have, and won't spend time trying to.

I didn't know Eric Cassano is a writer for this website? I just assumed he was some sort of NBA analyst.

TBigz wrote:I never said you were not qualified to express It. I just don't think Eric Cassano is such a great 'source'. People here are having attitude problems over me stating the obvious. I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

There is no "source" of news here.

What you are quoting from is an opinion piece. A view of a writer (one of this site's regular writers). Nothing more, nothing less. If you agree with the opinion, terrific. If you disagree with the opinion, also terrific. That is what opinion pieces are designed to do: get you to think and (possibly) respond. They are fundamentally different from factual stories. It is the difference between the front page and the op-ed page of the newspaper.

The "attitude" problems you reference have nothing to do with you "stating the obvious". The people who are deriding you are doing so because you have thus far proven incapable of making the rather simple distinction between factual pieces and opinion pieces.

If you have a response other than "got it, thanks", don't bother. I cannot make it any simpler than I already have, and won't spend time trying to.

I didn't know Eric Cassano is a writer for this website? I just assumed he was some sort of NBA analyst.

Forget all this other crap, your take was weak. You forgot to offer why you thought his opinion wasn't any good, other then he isn't a coach. That is a horrible take. What about GM's, scouts, and even paid professional writers. These people can and do have opinions, and many times they are right.

The attack started as it should have, and if you had instead backed up your take that we are a halfcourt team, and why we are, you may have had a leg to stand on..

Funny you wanted imagination with the Bobby K. thread, but here not so much for the writers opinion...

"When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with experience leaves with money and the man with money leaves with experience."

Orenthal wrote:Forget all this other crap, your take was weak. You forgot to offer why you thought his opinion wasn't any good, other then he isn't a coach. That is a horrible take. What about GM's, scouts, and even paid professional writers. These people can and do have opinions, and many times they are right.

The attack started as it should have, and if you had instead backed up your take that we are a halfcourt team, and why we are, you may have had a leg to stand on..

Funny you wanted imagination with the Bobby K. thread, but here not so much for the writers opinion...

Damn it OJ, take your hands off the goddamn wheel. This thread is filling up with epic win as we speak.

A few more contributions from our new friend Mr. Bigz and this thread will be in the library by weeks end.

By the way TLittlz, how do we even know you were on the team. I kinda pegged you as a Tuba player with the knowledge you have displayed thus far. I bet your parents were proud when you dotted the I in Southview.

I hit 24/25 free throws in the Eastlake Youth Basketball All-Star skills competition when I was 10 to take that down so I feel qualified to say that this thread is knockers all the way and that Cass's opinion piece does indeed lack Chad Ford-like analytical insight.

People will bitch about the 'State of the Boards'. But believe me boys, these are the salad days.

TBigz wrote: I also disagree with Eric Cassano and I bet there are plenty of professionals in the basketball industry that would also disagree. I see the Cavaliers as a half-court team. Cavaliers are ripe for the triangle offense.

Finally, it is refreshing to have an intelligent voice of basketball reason posting here.

I am a bit rusty on the nuances of the Traingle. Would you please break it down for me, explain why you feel our existing personnel would be a good fit and who you would like to coach it?

Thanks in advance

Last edited by mattvan1 on Thu May 27, 2010 12:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

I don't need to be patient, they're going to be shit forever. - CDT, discussing my favorite NFL team

peeker643 wrote:I hit 24/25 free throws in the Eastlake Youth Basketball All-Star skills competition when I was 10 to take that down so I feel qualified to say that this thread is knockers all the way and that Cass's opinion piece does indeed lack Chad Ford-like analytical insight.

People will bitch about the 'State of the Boards'. But believe me boys, these are the salad days.

Indeed.

I worked from 7am-10pm yesterday, woke up at 2:30 this morning and worked from 3-5 today. But this is worth staying up a bit longer.

I can only hope that Mr. Bigz has the strength of character comparable to say.........my man Spin.